


Three Against the World

by icandrawamoth



Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron Series - Alexander Freed, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Aromantic, Cal Kestis Needs a Hug, Candles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dinner, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, February Ficlet Challenge, February Ficlet Challenge 2020, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Platonic Cuddling, Queerplatonic Relationships, Reincarnation, Vegan Cal Kestis, Vegetarians & Vegans, Wyl and Sonogari are in a romantic relationship and Cal is qpp to both of them, aroace Cal Kestis, when amatonormativity attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: Cal is happy with his queerplatonic partners, Wyl and Sonogari, but sometimes the world's focus on romance is still hard to deal with.
Relationships: Cal Kestis/Wyl Lark/Sonogari, Wyl Lark/Sonogari, Wyl Lark/Sonogari&Cal Kestis
Series: February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624723
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	Three Against the World

**Author's Note:**

> For February Ficlet Challenge prompt "candlelight."

Cal knows as soon as he opens the door that he's made a mistake. All the lights in the apartment are off save for a flickering at the end of the hall – candlelight – and the meaty smell of steak fills the air and sets his stomach on edge.

 _Date night_ he remembers all at once. Wyl and Sonogari had planned this weeks ago, and Cal said it was no problem for him to stay late at the library and let them have some time to themselves.

And then the day had come and gone from bad to worse, culminating with his last class of the day leaving him feeling awful and craving comfort from his partners. Of course he's so abnormal he can't even remember that the two people he loves most in the world _do_ enjoy romance and crave time together in that way.

Cal wants to cry even more than he did mere moments ago, but Wyl's voice echoing down the hall startles him out of it.

“Cal?”

Cal tries to steady himself with a deep breath. He only has to hold himself together long enough to say hello to them, apologize for forgetting, and escape into the privacy of his own room. He wills his feet to move.

The kitchen he enters is still unmistakably that of a cheap apartment shared by three college students, but Wyl and Sonogari have done a good job of setting the scene. Candles are spread around the room, filling it with a warm glow and mixing their scents with that of the steak. The table is set with what passes for their best dishware, two glasses of wine, and multiple plates of nice food. If Cal had any taste for meat or cheese, he would go so far as to say it looks delicious.

The two men themselves sit on either side of the small table, holding hands across it. They're both dressed up even though they haven't gone anywhere, hair slicked back neatly. They're both looking at Cal.

“Hey,” Cal says, hoping he doesn't actually sound as feeble as he does to his own ears. “Sorry, I got kind of distracted today and forgot about this. Just let me grab something to eat, and I'll get out of your hair.” He needs to do something with his hands, and if he bolts immediately, they'll know something is wrong.

“We made you a nice salad,” Wyl says brightly, jumping up from his seat. “I'll get it. The wine's safe for you, too, if you want a glass.”

Cal hates that that's what breaks him. This night is supposed to be about Wyl and Sonogari, yet they were kind enough to include him, still made sure he wouldn't feel left out. Abruptly, the ache in his throat he's been trying to swallow for hours dissolves into tears.

“Hey. Hey, Cal, sweetheart, what's wrong?” Wyl's voice has gone soft with concern, and he lifts his hands hesitantly, unsure whether it's okay to touch.

Cal raises his own in answer, like a tiny child asking to be held, unable to form words as he cries. Wyl guides him in close, wrapping him in steady, caring arms. Cal buries his face in Wyl's shoulder, and a moment later, Sonogari is behind him, big, warm hands on his back. No matter what, Cal has never not felt safe and loved between them.

“Easy,” Sonogari murmurs, close enough Cal can feel breath in his hair. “We've got you.”

Cal cries harder. Now he's ruined their date night, and yet they're still being good to him. He failed as a boyfriend, and now he's just being a nuisance as a partner.

“Should we sit down?” Wyl murmurs.

Words still failing him, Cal can only nod. The others lead him the few steps into the living room and ease him down onto the couch between them. Cal presses his hands over his face, trying to wipe away tears.

Wyl and Sonogari still have hands on him, and Wyl squeezes his shoulder gently as he says, “I know it's hard, but can you try to tell us what's wrong? We may be able to help.”

Cal struggles to pull in enough air to talk. He's done this much damage; what does it matter if he just tells them everything? “My sociology class was discussing relationships,” he admits shakily. “Mainly how humans are designed for romantic pair bonds and how good that is for our mental and emotional health, and everyone was agreeing with the professor and telling stories about their significant others, and it was just hard to listen to. And I started having all these thoughts about what does it mean if I can't have that, and am I broken? And how I don't know _why_ I was thinking those things, because I'm usually okay with my identity, and I just-” He runs out of words all at once, bowing his head as more tears run down his cheeks.

Wyl takes his hand and says softly, “Then you came home and saw us, and that must have driven all of that home. We all know it was a bad coincidence and didn't mean anything, but I'm still sorry it happened.”

“And now,” Sonogari says just as gently, threading his fingers with Cal's free hand, you feel guilty because you feel like you interrupted and made our night all about you.”

Cal flinches.

“That's okay,” Sonogari tells him. “Wyl and I can have a date any time. You need us now.”

“He's right,” Wyl agrees. “And we want to be here. My relationship with you and Sonogari's relationship with you – even though they're not romantic anymore, they aren't any less important than our relationship with each other. We're partners, Cal, all three of us, and that means we're all equal.”

“We love you,” Sonogari says. “Do you understand that, Cal?”

Cal nods, silent tears on his face but for different reasons now.

“As for your professor,” Wyl says a little more sharply. “He's wrong. You know that, but it's okay that hearing those things still upset you. Your identity was being invalidated and your experiences belittled. Plus, since your aromanticism is so new to you, it hits even harder.”

“You are not without partnership or love – to give or to receive,” Sonogari says firmly. “You have us. Your other friends. Your dads. Just because most people want or need romance doesn't mean it should be assumed everyone does. Being true to yourself when so many people want you to be something else is so brave. Cal. I'll never forget you coming to us and telling us something was wrong. That you loved both of us but couldn't figure out why something about our relationship didn't feel right. Letting us explore that with you. I'm so proud you were able to advocate for yourself in that.”

“I don't know what I would have done without you,” Cal whispers.

“We loved you then, and we love you now,” Wyl promises. “We weren't going to give up on you when we all wanted to make it work.”

“And when we found the word 'aromantic,' it all made so much sense,” Sonogari remembers.

“And then 'queerplatonic,'” Cal adds, finally smiling a little.

“And with just a little adjustment, we could all have what we wanted.” Wyl reaches out to stroke Cal's cheek. “Learning together wasn't a hardship, Cal. You've been so much happier since we figured this out, and I wouldn't trade that for the world.”

“Nor me.” Sonogari wraps his arms around Cal and squeezes.

Cal doesn't know what to say. He loves them both _so much_ , and he can't imagine ever feeling this close to another person, romance or no.

“It's okay to struggle,” Wyl says, an uncanny echo of words Cere spoke in another life. “You're still getting to know yourself, and that's okay. One day you'll be out the other side and at peace, I promise.”

When he says it with such tender conviction, Cal can't help but believe.

Sonogari nuzzles his cheek. “Do you feel any better?”

Cal nods. “I love you guys so much.”

“And we love you,” Sonogari assures him. “Now, I believe you were hungry.”

“You two were hungry,” Cal counters quietly. “I interrupted dinner.”

“Hush. We were almost finished anyway. I'm getting your salad.” Sonogari gives Cal another hug and stands.

“Sorry about the smell,” Wyl says as he joins him. “I thought it would be gone by the time you got home. I'll open a window and grab some of the better candles, and we can hang out in here.”

Cal lets a last protest fade away and relaxes against the couch cushions. He still feels a little guilty, but he understands his partners aren't upset and really do want to take care of him – and he wants that too. He closes his eyes, listening to them putter away in the kitchen for a few minutes, and it brings a soft smile to his face. When he first read the word “aromantic,” realized it described his feelings, and started to look into it, he'd been afraid he would lose this easy affection and domesticity. He's so grateful that he hasn't.

Soon, Wyl is back, a candle in one hand, another tucked between arm and chest, and other hand carrying a bowl from the same set he and Sonogari had been eating from.

“One more thing,” he says, handing Cal the bowl, setting down the candles, and leaving the room again in a swirl of orange and cinnamon scents.

Cal looks down at his salad in the dancing light, spotting a bed of spinach mixed with strawberries, walnuts, a sprinkle of the expensive vegan cheese he likes, and topped with a delicious-smelling vinaigrette. The simple care it demonstrates makes his heart ache a little in the best of ways.

Wyl returns with three glasses of wine, which he deposits on the coffee table at the same time Sonogari steps into the room and asks, “This okay?”

He's holding a bundle in his arms Cal recognizes immediately as the pride blanket his dads had crocheted for them after he introduced Wyl and Sonogari as his boyfriends. It's big enough to cover them all, and the pattern is a trio of pride flags all joined one to the next: pansexual for Wyl, bisexual for Sonogari, and asexual for Cal. They've already been promised an updated version with queerplatonic and aromantic colors.

“Of course,” Cal says warmly.

Sonogari grins and brings it over. He and Wyl take their places on either side of Cal again and spread it over them.

Settling in between them, Cal takes a bite of his food. “Delicious,” he pronounces around the mouthful.

“Sonogari insisted on the nuts,” Wyl says darkly. “An abomination, if you ask me.”

Cal snorts. “I like it. You both did an excellent job.”

Thank you,” Sonogari says dramatically. “Now, I was thinking dinner _and_ entertainment. Cuddling and a movie? Your choice, Cal.”

“You can already guess.”

“ _I'll be shootin' fer my own hand!_ ” Sonogari crows in a pitch-perfect imitation of Princess Merida from _Brave_ , Cal's favorite movie.

The three of them giggle as Wyl finds the remote and puts on the movie, then settles back and puts an arm around Cal. Cal relaxes into him, Sonogari warm and close on his other side, loved and content as he's ever been.


End file.
